Method and means for ice crating vegetables



Jan. 9, 1940. 'L, M, TRACY 2,186,352

ETHOD ANDM'EANS FOR ICE GRATING VEGETABLES Filed Feb. 20, 1939 INVENTOR.

- LEV/N M TRACY ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 9, 1940.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND MEANS FOR ICE CRATING VEGETABLES 3 Claims.

This invention relates to the packing or crating of vegetables in cracked ice for long distance shipment to the market, particularly to such vegetables as lettuce, broccoli, carrots, chickory,

6 and other similar farm products, and the invention has for its object an improved method and means for insuring a proper ice layer on top of the pack when the cover is nailed down and of retaining the layer against shaking out, particu-,

larly at the corners, and also to prevent bruising and injury to the top layer of vegetables in lidding the crate.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a special cardboard frame or collar used in carrying out my invention.

Figure 2 is a-view similar to that of Figure 1 but showing a modified form of the collar.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a crate of lettuce packed in accordance with my invention as seen' before folding the paper liner and special collar inwardly and nailing on the lid or cover, and with a portion broken away to show the thickness of the upper layer of cracked ice.

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3 but showing the crate as with lid removed for unpacking, and with paper lining outfolded to show how the inwardly bent collar retains the ice layer.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the near corner of the collar of Figure 3 to illustrate the manner of its scoring and inward folding for all corners.

Before describing the drawing in detail .it should-be explained th'at'in shipping the character offarm products mentioned, especially lettuce, a standardcrate generally measuring about 21%" long by 17 wide inside, (though it may be any'size) is first lined with heavy paper by placing one strip lengthwise and another crosswise of the crate so as to cover the bottom with a double layer: of vpaper, and with a single layer extending up all four sides and with a flap hangingoutoverthe upper edge at each sidefor eventually folding inwardly over the contents when the crate is fully packed.- f

In pacldng, a layer of cracked ice is first placed on theibottom on the double layer of paper liners, and the lettuce is then packed into the crate in the form of horizontal layers one above the other and with a layer of cracked ice placed be- 5 ime the a and l he g.t its destination in much better condition, It

stices, and sometimes a sheet of paper is also used between the layers. Finally a thick layer of cracked ice is placed on top of the upper layer of lettuce, the four paper flaps are folded inwardly over'the upper layer of ice, and'the lid 5 of the crate is placed on it and nailed in place. The crate is of course somewhat overfllled as is customary with the packing of fruits and vegetables so as to force the contents down tightlythis generally being done in'a press-41nd since 10 the four flaps of paper liner are necessarily unattached to each other at the comers of the crate it leaves a crack or opening at each corner where the flaps are folded over the upper ice layer which permits much of the finely cracked ll ice to be lost at the corners, also to melt more freely at the corners which are open at the cracks for outside air to enter, and the ice loses at these points what heat insulating eflect the paper flaps give at other points, and with a re- 20 sult that the lettuce at the corners of the crate does not stand long shipments as well as the remainder of the pack. Besides the upper layer 'of lettuce is liable to injury from the lidding machine, and the lid, as a sufficient protective layer 25 of ice is'dii'licult to maintain with the paper flaps.

I have discovered that if an auxiliary frame. or continuous collar of fairly heavy cardboard (preferably waxed or paraflined) be placed tightly within the crate so as to project several. 30

inches above the top edge of the crate, this will form a retaining wall all around the upper layer of lettuce 'so that a deep layer of cracked ice may be spread over the top layer and uniformly into the four corners and packed down tightly 35 without the slightest breaking away or leakage at the corners. Then if the four flaps of the paper liner are folded inward over the upperice layer while simultaneously the projecting portion of the cardboard collar within the liner is also folded inwardly over the ice, and thereafter the lid nailed on, that no loss of ice occurs .at the corners,' no injury to the upper layer of lettuce can result from the lidding machine or lid when nailed down, and the contents is received is of course understood that such shipments are made in refrigerator or ice filled cars in the known manner. This improved method of ice packing vegetables which; I have devised, has already come into extensive use in the transcontinental shipment of lettuce from California to the Middle West cities and Atlantic seaboard.

In the drawing the crate is designated l, its

upper edge 2. he of the two B l-P r SW 66'- .top layer of ice to retain it in place.

which form the interior lining are indicated at 3, 4, 5 and 6, my special ice retaining collar 1, the top layer of cracked ice 8, and the upper layer of lettuce 9, the lid ll) of the crate.

In Figures 3 and 4 the retaining collar is of the form shown in Figure 1 and wherein a fiat strip of waxed cardboard I of about six inches in width and of a length to go entirely' around the inside of the crate, is scored at the four corners to form a rectangular frame as shown in Figure l, but which may be collapsed fiat for shipping from the manufacturer to the packer.

The cardboard frame of Figure l is shown preferably (though not necessarily) horizontally scored along the line H to fold inwardly over the ice, and angularly and vertically scored at its corners as at I2, I3 and I4 so as to form a gore to fold inwardly and under one of the side walls of the frame when it is folded. Instead of folding under, the gore may be folded fiat on top of the side walls after they are folded inwardly.

If the cardboard is of medium weight, the score lines ll may be omitted as the portion of the walls which project above the ice layer may be simply bent inwardly over the ice when the paper fiaps are folded inwardly one over' the other, though if the cardboard collar is of thick stock or of corrugated stock, one or more horizontal score lines ll materially aid in the bending of the collar over the ice. It is of course understood that mechanical equipment is generally used to expedite the inward folding of the flaps and placing of the lid, but this is apart from the present invention.

In the form of collar shown in-Figure 2 the Walls I are overlapped at [5 and stapled as at In the collar of Figure 2 no gore is usedat thev corners, but instead the corners are slottedvertically as at l8 from the upper edge down to the point where the sides are to be folded over the This form of collar may also be scored along. the line l9 if desired.

It should also "be noted, that while I show and prefer a-complete frame with overlapping ends of the cardboard collar may be loose, and abutting if desired, thoughoverlapping. ends are preferred. Also to be noted is that the frame could be 'divided along'the lines :r:a: indicated in Figure 1- either. at the two opposite-sides, or at all four sides'so as to'i be insertible. withinthe crate in the width of the collar.

in sections, but it is highly desirable that the corners be closed to hold the top layer of cracked ice properly at these points.

In using the collar, when all but the last layer of lettuce has been packed in place, the collar is placed within the crate and shoved down tightly along the walls to stay in position with the correct amount'projecting aboveethe upper edge of the crate the final layer of lettuce is packed within the collar, the finely cracked ice filled into the interstices and formed into a thick layer on top, the collar and paper flaps folded inwardly over the ice and the lid forced down and nailed in place.

The specific form of the collar shown in Figure 2 of the drawing is claimed in my copending patent application filed December 1, 1938, under Serial No. 243,475.

While I have described my improved method of ice packing with lettuce, it is to be uderstood that the invention is applicable to the ice packing of any desired vegetables or fruits, and that therefore the word vegetables as used herein and in the claims is to be taken as including any such other vegetables and fruits packed for shipment in this manner. Also, the word cracked ice as used herein and in the claims is not limited as to any degree of fineness to which the ice is cracked but includes ice crushed, made or reduced to any degree of fineness, including the so-called snow ice, all as used in the ice crating of vegetables as herein described.

the top of the crate,.placing retaining walls of stifi material within the crate and liner to project upwardly above the crate, continuing the packing of the crate to completion and placing a layer of cracked ice over the upper layer of vegetables within said retainingwalls and substantially below, their upper edges, then folding the projecting retaining walls and the lining flaps inwardly over the ice layer, and securing a lid in place over the crate.

,2. Forythe packing of vegetables, a collar of stiff material adapted to extend around the inner walls of a crate of vegetablesand project above the upper layer of vegetables to receive a layer of crackedice within the collar, said collar when in place being a rectangular frame adapted to be folded inwardly along an intermediate point 3. For the packing of vegetables, a collar of stiff material adapted to extend around the inner walls of a crate of vegetables and project above the upper layer of vegetables to receive a layer of cracked ice within the collar, said collar when in place being a rectangular frame adapted to befolded inwardly along an intermediate point in the width of the collar, and the corners of said collar scored to form foldable gores.

, LEVINM. TRACY. 

